A teacher who “gave in to temptation” and pursued a secret affair with a girl had sex with
her in empty classrooms all over the school, a court has heard.
Stuart Kerner, 44, faces two counts of sexual activity with a child and six counts of sexual
activity with a child by a person in a position of trust.
Jurors heard the alleged victim was 15 when the affair is said to have begun.
She was a former student at Bexleyheath Academy in south east London, Inner London Crown
Court was told.
Prosecutor Warwick Tatford said what started as a schoolgirl crush turned into a full-blown
sexual affair that was only uncovered in 2013.
‘Devious and wicked liar’
On one occasion, it is alleged, Mr Kerner drove the teenager to his home for an all-day sex
session.
“This was a gross breach of trust; a teacher giving in to temptation,” Mr Tatford said.
“The Crown aren’t saying she’s innocent in all this.
“She was anxious to have a relationship with him… (but) he was a senior teacher who took
advantage of a vulnerable young girl who was besotted with him.”
Mr Kerner’s defence team will argue that the complainant – who cannot be named for legal
reasons – is a “devious and wicked liar”, the court heard.
The jury was told of an occasion when she pretended to have been in a traffic accident to
get out of PE class and even wore a bandage around her chest.
“Of course, getting out of PE and making wicked allegations against a respected teacher are
rather different things,” Mr Tatford told the jury.
‘Lost virginity’
This time, the prosecution said, independent evidence including mobile phone records, school
absentee logs and even the girl’s own coded diary supported her version of events.
Mr Tatford said the girl would testify that on one afternoon in February 2012, when she
should have been in class, the then-16-year-old was on the other side of the school losing
her virginity.
“She was having sex with Mr Kerner in another part of the school,” he said.
Some 90 minutes later, someone allegedly used Mr Kerner’s computer login details to change
the official absentee record to suggest the girl had been present in class, the court was
told.
Prosecutors allege it was done by the teacher himself, doctoring records to cover up an
illicit sexual encounter.
The girl thought she was in love with Kerner and “was telling all her friends” about their
relationship, the jury heard.
The trial was adjourned until Wednesday.